2004 Hyundai Tiburon Reviews

2004 TiburonNew Car Test Drive

Introduction

The Hyundai Tiburon delivers style and performance at affordable prices. Tiburon means shark in Spanish and the Hyundai Tiburon looks like the automotive equivalent of a shark, with a flowing profile and gill-like front fender vents.

The 2004 Hyundai Tiburon GT V6 benefits from a re-tuned exhaust for a more aggressive sound a few more horses. The V6 delivers good acceleration performance with strong torque for flexible drivability around town. Tiburon GT's handling is fully competitive for the class. A retuned suspension and wider tires further sharpen the handling for 2004, and the interior gets some nice upgrades. The four-cylinder engine that comes with the base Tiburon also gets a slight boost in power, improved drivability, and reduced emissions, all benefits of a new variable-valve cylinder head.

Compelling pricing makes the Tiburon an attractive proposition. The Tiburon starts at less than $17,000. A Tiburon GT V6 absolutely loaded with leather seats, sunroof, an Infinity audio system, ABS, and a special six-speed gearbox retails for $21,597. A comparably equipped Mitsubishi Eclipse V6 (with a ropey five-speed) lists for $25,667. A six-speed Toyota Celica GTS with all the goodies lists for $23,915 and a V6 isn't available.

Hyundai has emerged the past few years to produce attractive cars with performance and panache. The quality of its products has improved tremendously in the past few years, according to the respected quality gurus at J. D. Power and Associates. Hyundai offers the best warranty in the business: 5 years/50,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain.

Lineup

Two versions of the Hyundai Tiburon are available: the base four-cylinder model and the GT V6. Apart from different wheels and spoilers, both models share the same sexy lines and enjoy a comprehensive list of standard features: air conditioning; side-impact airbags, power windows, mirrors and door locks; keyless entry with alarm; four wheel disc brakes; and dual chrome-tipped exhaust outlets.

The 2004 Tiburon ($16,999) is powered by a 2.0-liter inline-4 boosted to 138 horsepower with the new variable valve timing system. This engine is offered with a standard five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission ($900). Just two other options are available: an Infinity premium stereo with cassette and CD player ($649), and a package consisting of the Infinity cassette CD system and a power tilt-and-slide sunroof ($1,349).

The 2004 Tiburon GT V6 ($18,199) is powered by a 2.7-liter V6 rated at 172 horsepower. Its suspension is stiffer and the wheels and tires are upgraded in size to 215/45R17 Michelin Pilots. The interior is dressed up with new map lights, deluxe carpeting, and leather wraps for the steering wheel and shift knob. Three transmissions are available on the GT V6. A five-speed manual is standard. Buyers can also choose a four-speed automatic ($900) or a six-speed manual ($950).

GT V6 options include a sunroof-and-stereo package ($1,349); the same package plus leather seats ($1,949); or all of the above plus anti-lock brakes ($2,448). With the six-speed, you can upgrade to the Infinity CD stereo and leather ($1249); or go all the way and get a super-premium Infinity 360 watt CD/cassette system, leather, sunroof, and ABS ($2448).

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